Author's note: I
decided to name this story "Seems Like Years" because of what
Kendall said the in the episode that aired December 13, 2005. Zach
was telling her, "You've been in the wringer for weeks." She
responded, "Seems like years." I was in the process of writing
this story, and being reminded of all that she has been through the
past four years. So when I heard her say those words, I thought,
"Kendall, it has been years."

To understand the
nuances if this story, I want you to know where I'm coming from as
I write this. The AMC universe as it was in May 2003 on our
television – the characters that appeared and everything that has
happened to them - remains the same, up to that point. The only
thing that will change is Zach Slater's appearance in the story
exactly one year sooner than he appeared on the show. Because Zach
is showing up early, the change needs to be justified – so I have
altered a significant event in his history. Otherwise, he is still
pretty much the same person.

In splitting off this
alternate universe, a la Star Trek, certain things will change, and
certain things will remain the same. I have reviewed transcripts,
and included scenes and dialogue as they were on the show in 2003, or
left them out as per my interpretation of how Zach affects the events
that occur. Also, it is possible that dialogue, settings, or events
from 2004 and beyond may end up appearing in 2003. Confused yet?
Maybe you should just ignore this paragraph and enjoy the ride.

Additional note: I am
keeping dates of major events almost precisely as they happened on
the show.

Chapter 1

May 20, 2003 – Rio de
Janeiro

Zach sipped his morning
coffee as he logged onto his computer. He clicked onto the Wall
Street Journal home page from his favorites column. He was startled
to see that today's portrait sketch was of his brother's face.
Michael. Zach set his coffee down as he read the accompanying
article. Yesterday, Michael was arrested for corporate espionage -
in a small town in Pennsylvania called Pine Valley. He allegedly
tried to steal the formula for a new product developed at Enchantment
Enterprises, a cosmetics company. At a press conference yesterday,
he attempted to unveil the product on behalf of Cambias Industries.
Their father, Alexander Cambias had been there as well.
Enchantment's owner, Erica Kane, brought proof that the product was
hers. In front of the press and his father, Michael was arrested and
sent to jail.

Zach put his head in
his hands. Why did Michael keep doing this to himself? Assuming the
charges were valid, Michael had apparently used illegal means to try
and impress his father. Not only did he fail, but he failed in the
most humiliating way possible. If only Michael had accepted Zach's
proposition when he saw him last Christmas. Zach was always trying
to persuade Michael to join him in his growing casino empire. Zach
wanted nothing more than for his brother to be far away from the
insidious influence of their father and his soul-devouring corporate
machine. But Michael refused his offers time and again. Michael
wanted what Zach had rejected – to be loved and accepted by his
father and to be named as head of the family business someday.

Zach knew that Michael
was incredibly bitter over the fact that Alexander still preferred
his older son, despite Zach's actions. The old man didn't care
that Zach walked away from their mansion at the age of 17 and never
came back. He didn't care that Zach had lobbed the ultimate insult
- rejecting the Cambias name by changing his to Zach Slater.
Alexander used every chance he got to remind Michael of the fact that
Zach built a gambling empire after starting over with nothing, while
Michael couldn't seem to get anything right with the billion dollar
corporation that had been handed to him on a silver platter. Zach
knew all this because Michael never failed to dwell on it any time
Zach tried to call or visit. Zach wanted nothing more than for the
old man to be out of their lives for good, and for there to be
reconciliation between the two of them. As much as Michael's
bitterness and vitriol hurt him, Zach couldn't give up on his
little brother.

The question was, what
should he do about this latest fiasco? The old man had probably left
Pine Valley by now, without a backward glance. Would he even send
his corporate lawyers to help Michael with his defense? Probably
not. Alexander couldn't be bothered to help an employee who had
fucked up, even if the employee was his flesh and blood. It was also
unlikely that anyone in that little town gave a damn about Michael.
Zach pulled out his cell phone and made a call to the law firm he had
on retainer. He arranged for one of the lawyers to head out to Pine
Valley immediately. He made another call to a private detective he
also had on retainer, and asked for a quick dossier on Michael's
activities since entering Pine Valley. Zach then arranged a meeting
with the manager of the Seasons Rio to cut out any extraneous
activities in Zach's schedule so that he could leave quicker than
planned. He hated to miss out on the grand opening of his fourth
casino, but he wanted to get to Pine Valley as soon as possible.
Michael would probably be less than thrilled to see his older
brother, especially from a jail cell, but Zach was all he had left.

May 21, 2003 - Pine
Valley

Kendall sat back and
sipped some hot tea. It had been quite a day at the beach, and not
in a relaxing way. She should feel immense satisfaction over the
success of the past couple of days, but she couldn't get to that
place. She tried to recapture the surge of triumph she had felt at
Michael getting what he deserved, but she just felt deflated over the
fact that once again her heart had been crushed. She tried to feel
warmth over the fact that she and her mother had finally teamed up
together over something, but she couldn't shake the cold feeling
that she was still on trial with Erica. Kendall attempted to muster
some enthusiasm for the latest ad campaign that Simone had cooked up
for Fusion – the Sexiest Man contest. All she could feel was
cynicism over the irony that four losers in love were in charge of
finding the perfect man.

Kendall stood up and
paced around her living room. Not the perfect man, just the sexiest.
Maybe that should be their entire focus from now on, and not just
for the ad campaign. Concentrate on the superficial, and not care
about what is going on inside their skull. Let it be all about looks
and not care whether the man is thinking of you when you aren't
around, thinking about your relationship, thinking of ways to please
you, heck, thinking at all. A hottie with a lobotomy, that's what
women should strive for.

Kendall looked out the
window over at Michael's condo across the way. He had been the
first man she opened up to since Ryan rolled out of her life in a
cloud of exhaust. God, she was pathetic. It seemed like all she
ever did was lay her heart out there for people to stomp on. Erica,
Bianca, Ryan, and now Michael has had his turn. She couldn't help
but wonder if he ever felt the same way about her that she did about
him. Did Michael care about her even one little bit? Kendall's
pacing became more and more furious. She needed to know. She needed
to know if Michael felt even the tiniest twinge of remorse for what
he had done to her. She knew it was a waste of time, but tomorrow
she would visit Michael in jail. Tomorrow she would grill him and
try to…to…what? Get him to say that he had loved her, too? What
would that accomplish? He was a snake who betrayed her – it wasn't
like she would take him back if he spoke to her in flowery prose.
Kendall shook her head and poured the dregs of her tea down the sink.
She needed some sleep, to escape the roller coaster that was going
up and down in her head and heart.

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